Part of the thrill or reward of the game animal hunt resides in obtaining a decorative trophy for display in the home or office. Also, there is considerable competition among hunters and taxidermists in obtaining the most attractive trophy. Numerous sportsmen are attracted to competitive shows wherein game animal trophies are displayed and judged. Some of the criteria used in judging of the trophies include the centering of the mounted trophy on the decorative wall plaque, the secure or tight attachment of the plaque to the mounted animal head skin, and the neatness in the plaque and mounted skin connection plane.
In mounting animal heads a suitable manikin or model of the animal head to be mounted is produced and the animal head skin stretched over and secured to the manikin prior to attachment of a decorative wooden wall plaque thereto. The attachment of the mounted animal head skin to a plaque normally requires at least two people and frequently results in portions of the skin overflowing the manikin and results in an unsightly appearance at the contact surfaces between the skin coated manikin and the plaque. Also, it is difficult to achieve a tight attachment of the skin coated manikin to the plaque due to excess skin at the manikin base. Further, it is difficult to position and secure the manikin coated skin at the center of the plaque. The present invention alleviates some or all of these deficiencies in the prior art systems.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and process for taxidermists in preparing animal head trophies.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for mounting animal head skins onto a manikin that results in a tight, centered connection between the skin coated manikin and a decorative wall plaque.
Another object of the present invention is an improved process for attaching an animal head skin coated manikin to a decorative wall plaque.
A further object of the present invention is an apparatus for attaching an animal head skin to a manikin that aligns and permits easy centering attachment of the manikin to a decorative wall plaque.